Pianissimo device for grand pianos



Mar. 3. 1925.

J. KLEPAC PIANISSIMO DEVICE FOR GRAND PIANOS mam 6.*mam.

Mar. 3. 1925.

J. KLEPAC PIANISSIMO. DEVICE FOR GRAND PIANOS Filed June 16, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Mar. 3. 19255.

J. KlfEPA:

PIANISSIMO DEVICE FOR GRAND PIANOS 5 Sheet-Sheet v 3 Filed June 16, 1921 Patented Mar. 3, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,528,113 PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH KLEPAC, OIF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO BRAMBACH PIANO COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

PIANISSIMO DEVICE FOR GRAND PIANOS.

Application filed June 16,

/ 10 ZZ whom it may conce/m.'

Be it known that I, JosnrH KLEPAC, a citizen of the United States residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Pianissimo Device for Grand Pianos, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to improve the pianissimo or soft pedal device of a piano action, particularly a grand piano action. The common way of obtaining a pianissimo effect in grand pianos is to shift the entire action sideways or laterally so that when such adjustment is made the hammers will strike only a. partof the wires or strings making up each note. This is not altogether a satisfactory device, because only one wire or string is used for the upper notes, because overtones come from the strings or wires that are not struck, beca-use many of the parts are apt to rattle owing to the loose arrangement necessary, and because the shifting causes the hammers to strike in different positions laterally wearing the hammer felts une-venly.

llo overcome these defects, T have provided a pianissimo device which greatly improves the grand piano action. This improved device is arranged as follows: The hammers are pivoted rigidly to the `hammer rail and the hammer rail is rigidly mounted in action brackets which are rigidly secured in position. Thus, each hammer swings from a fixed pivot whether the soft pedal is used or not. The wippen rail on which the wippens of the actions are pivoted is mounted so that it can move substantially vertically. The hammer rest rail is also mounted so that it can move vertically. Connections are provided between these two rails so that the wippen rail and the hammer rest rail will move oppositely, the hammer rest rail having a slightly greater movement than the wippen rail. Although not necessar the regulating rail which carries the regulating screws, which operate the jacks, is also arranged to move with the wippen rail and the hammer rest rail so that when these latter are moved the exact relations between the parts of the action will be preserved.

One convenient way to arrange these parts is to carry the wippen rail on the ends of levers or arms pivoted to the rigid levers 1921. Serial No. 478,202.

action brackets, to carry the hammer rest rail on the ends of levers or arms pivoted to a stationary part and to connect these together by suitable links. The levers which carry the wippen rail can be extended beyond their pivots and the rest rail can be carried by these extensions. The soft or pianissimo pedal is connected to this system of levers. Springs are preferably arranged so that the wippen rail is normally raised to upper position, the connections before described being arranged so that when the wippen rail is in normal position the hammer rest rail and the regulating rail will also be in normal position. Then the soft pedal is depressed, the connections therefrom are so arranged that the wippen rail will be depressed, the hammer rest rail will be raised and the regulating rail will be moved upwardly. As this action takes place the wippens will pivot on the capstan screws on the keys and this pivot-ing will partially operate the actions so as to raise the hammers the proper degree. By this arrangement, when the soft pedal is operated the hammers will occupy a position nearer the strings so that the travel of the same will be shortened and hence the pianissimo effect will be obtained.

My improved device has the great advantages that the hammers always swing from .fixed pivots so that they will always strike the strings in the same relation. There is no sideways shifting of the hammers. The manual operation of the keys or the depressing of the front ends of the keys is the same no matter whether the actions are operated with the parts in normal relation or whether they are operated while adjusted for pianissimo playing. Thus, the touch or feel of thepiano is precisely the same no matter whether the soft pedal is or is not depressed. Then the actions are adjusted for pianissimo playing the repetition parts of the actions still remain in exact relation for repetition playing. There is no lost motion between the keys and the actions as when adjustments for soft playing are made, the wippens pivot around the capstan screws on the keys. In brief, the operation of the pianissimo device does not in any way affect the feeling or leverage of the keys. It also will be noted that the action brackets are rigidly secured in position and as the hammer rail is rigidly secured thereto there is very little chance for the parts to rattle `or get out of adjustment.

these-improvements have greatly improved the operation of grand pianos.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanyng three sheets of drawings, referring to which and in detail- F ig. 1 is a cross sectional elevation through the action .illustrating the parts in position for normal playing; i

Fig. 2 is a view just inside one of the action supporting brackets showing the connections wherebyV the wippen rail is adjusted orset from the soft pedal;

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation on an enlarged scale showing the way the wippen rail and the hammer rest rail are mounted and connected, the dotted lines showing the Vopposite adjustment of the rails to position for pianissimo playing; j

Fig. 4 Vis a sectional elevation through the action illustrating the normal position of the action in full lines and the position :tor pianissimo playing in dotted lines, and

Fig. 5 is a'perspective view of the connections which may be employed for adjusting the parts by thel operation of the soft or pianissimo pedal.

Referring to the drawings and in detail7 1 designates a white key, 2 a black key, which keys have theusual leads 3. 4 designates the key trame having the front rail 5, balance rail G and the back rail 7. The 'ront rail 5 is provided with pins 8 which guide the ront'ends of the keys and also with punchings or pieces of felt 9 on which the.

keys strike. The balance rail 6 is provided with pins 10 on which'the keys pivot and with punchings or pieces of felt arranged on the pins so as to come between the keys and the balance rail. The back rail 7 is provided with pieces of felt 12 on which the back ends of the keys normally rest. Each keyr is provided with a curved head capstan screw'13, which engages with a. curved telted or cushioned section 140 of a wippen 14 ot the action. Each wippen 14 is pivoted to a flange or bloc/k 15 secured to the wippen rail 16. A jack 17 is pivotally mounted on'the front end ofeach wippen and has a heel 18.

A repetition lever 19 is pivoted to a flange or block 20 car lied by each wippen. AVwire spring 21 is pivoted on each repetition lever 19 and the tension of the same can be adjusted by a regulating screw 22. The rear end of each spring21 on each'repetition lever 19 is connected by a silk cord 23 to the rear end of its wippen. Each repetition lever19is provided with a screw'24 which strikes on its wippen, whereby the normal position of the repetition lever can be adj'usted. A spoon 25 is `secured to the front of each repetition lever in position to strikeV on a screw 26 having a elted head.` The by a jack 17.

hammer. butts 27 are pivoted to flanges or brackets 28 rigidly secured to the hammer rail 29 which latter is rigidly secured to the action supporting brackets hereafter re; ierred to. Each hammer butt 2T is provided with a elted extension which is engaged The hammer Shanks 30 eX- tend from the butts and each shank carries a. hammer head and felt 31 at its rear en'd7 to strike on the string or strings 32. 33 designates the hammer rest rail which comes close `to the hammer shanks and against which the hammers tall and rebound as they recede vronithe strings. 34 vdesignates the back checks which are carried bythe rear ends of the keys. A i'elt 35 is mounted on the rear of'each key to engage a damper lever 36 pivoted on a bracket 37 secured to the damper action rail 3S. A butt 39 is pivoted to each damper lever 3G and a wire 40 extends from the same through a guideV bracket 41 and carries a damper head 42 having. pieces of felt 43-43 lwhich engage with the strings. The damper levers 36 can he leadedA or weighted as at 44. rThe 'damper levers 36 are provided with regulating screws 45 having elted ends 46V to engage Yon a stop device 450. The damper arrangements are carried by the head piece 47 of the piano. The jacks 17 carry regulating screws 48 having elts 49 lfor engaging spoons 50` secured to the wippens 14. Springs 51 are arranged between the lower ends ot' the jacks and abutments extending down Jfrom the wippens.

The action is carried in action supporting brackets 52 which are rigidly secured in place. A regulating screw 53 having a :telted end 54 is provided for each jack heel 18. these screws being tapped into a regulating Arail 55. YThe above parts constitute an VVaction of a well known or approved form.

To get the results previously mentioned, the wippen rail 16 and the hammer rest rail 33 are made floating or movable` and are connected to move oppositely as hereinafterl described. The wippen rail 16 is mounted or carried on the ends of levers {SO-60, which are hung on pivots 61-61 on the inside` faces of the rigid action brackets 52. The regulating rail 55 is carried by the outer ends of these levers -60. The hammer rest rail 33 is carried by levers 62-62 pivoted to the end hammer iange or bracket or to special brackets 28e-28 secured to the hammer rail. The levers 60e-@Gare connected to the levers 62-62 by linksl 63. By the connections thus. described it will be seen that as the wippen rail 16 moves'downwardly, the hammer rest rail will move upwardly and vice versa.

Each action bracket 52 is made to-liorm a yoke 64, which yokes form slots in which the wippen rail 16 moves up and down.V Ay

spring 65 is arranged in a pocket in each lil) action bracket 52 to bear on the under side of the wippen rail lo near its ends, so as to torce the same normally upward. A screw 66 having a large head 67- is threaded into the upper part ot each yoke 6e to limit the upward movement ot the wippen rail. Screws 68 having large heads are threaded into the wippen rail at each end thereof and these screws are set to bear on pieces of telt TO secured to the action ln'acket 52, these screws thus serving to limit the downward movement ot the wippen rail. The wippen rail is thus normally held in its upper position.

`il'ihen the pianissimo eiiect is desired, the mechanism which flepresses the wippen rail is operated and the wippen rail is forced downwardly against the tension ot the springs G5. rEhe mechanisi i tor Yiorcing the wippen rail downwardlj,- shown in detail in Figs: 2 and ik lever 7l is set in position to be engaged by the rod T2, extending upwardly from the sott pedal, which penal rod is raised when the sott or pianissimo pedal is depressed. This lever Tl is pivoted to a bracket T3 secured to the key 'trame i. The lever Z1 connects at its rear end by a link 'Ts to a lever 75 mounted on a shaft 'TG journalled in brackets T11-T7 secured to the key trame. Spring arms 78 are secured to the wippen rail 16 and these arms are engaged by spring arms 79-T9 extending from the shaft 7o. It desired, pieces ot telt 8O may be arranged between these arms. Any other suitable connections may be arranged between the sott or pianissimo pedal and the wippen rail.

lVhen the sott pedal is not depressed the parts are in normal position, as shown in tull lines in the drawings, and the action is in ordinary or normal position.

Now, when the sott pedal is depressed the wippen rail 1G is 'forced downwardly. As the wippen rail is moved downwardly the extensions lli-O ot the wippens will bear on the capstan screws I3 ot the keys and as the rear ends ot the. wippens move downwardly with the wippen rail, the front ends ci the wippens will move upwardly. This will set the action to the position shown in dotted lines and will raise the hammers nearer to the strings. ris the wippen rail is moved downwardly the hammer rest rail will be moved upwardly to follow the hammers so that this rail will stand in proper relation with the hammers when they are adjusted for their shortened stroke. The regulating rail 55 also will move upwardly with the jacks carried at the front ends of the wippens so that the proper relation between the parts ot the action will be preserved when adjustment is made. It will be seen that this adjustment does not depress the keys.

Now, when the keys are struck, the pianissimo eii'ect will be obtained and by reason ot the curved engagement between the abutments lll() a id the screws l-l the leverage and manipulation ot' the keys will be just the same as tor norma-l playing. It will be noted that the hammers always swing on rigid or lined pivots as the hammer rail 20 is rigidly secured to the two action brackets 52 which are rigidly secured in position. By this arrangement the hammers will always strike the strings in the same lateral position, the pianissimo eteetbeing obtained by shortening` the hammer stroke. It also will be noted that when the wippen rail and connected parts are adjusted l'or pianissiino playing, the adjustment ot the action does not effect or disturb the parts that are arovided tor repetition playing. Hence, the exact touch ot the piano is preserved, no matter whether it is being played normally or to obtain the pianissimo etl'eet. Thus, the operation is greatly improved.

It also will be seen that the rails may be adjusted to any intermediate position between that shown in t'ull lines and the dotted lines so that any degree ot the pian ett'ect between these two extremes can be obtained.

It the piano is also to be played mechanically, the rear ends ot the keys may be engaged by abstracts 82 arranged in the usual manner` The details and arrangements herein shown and described may be greatly varied by a skilled mechanic without departing from the scope ot my invention as expressed in the claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. In a piano action, the combination of a fixed piano rail, hammers pivoted thereto, a movably mounted wippen rail, wippens pivoted thereto, operating connections between the wippens and hammers, curved abutments on the wippens, keys having means engaging the curved faces of said abutments, and means for moving the wippen rail to adjust he stroke ot' the hammers, the wippens engaging said means so that the leverage and stroke of the keys will not be changed by the adjustments ot the wippen rail.

2. In a piano action, the combination of a tixed hammer rail, hammers pivoted thereto, a movably mounted wippen rail, wippens pivoted thereto, operating connections between the wippens and hammers, curved telted abutments on the wippens, keys having curved headed screws engaging the curved faces ot said abutments, and means for moving the wippen rail to adjust the stroke of the hammers, the wippens engaging said screws so that the leverage and stroke of the keys will not be changed by the adjustments of the wippen rail.

3. In a piano action, the combination of a movable wippen rail to which the wippens are'pivoted, a movable hammer' rest rail, connections between the rails so that they lwill move oppositely, and means for ladjusting these rails vtoadjust the hammer stroke.

Ll. .In a piano action, tliecombination of a movable wippen rail carrying the wippens, a movable regulating rail, connections to whichthe rails are attached so that the relation Vbetween the same will 'bepreservech and means foradju'sting these rails to adjust the hammer stroke.

5. 'lfna piano action, the combination of a movable wippen rail carrying the wppens, a movable hammer rest rail, a movable regulating rail, connections between the wippen rail and the hammer rest rail, so that the wippen rail will move oppositely to the movement of the regulating rail and hammer rest rail, and mea-ns for moving the rails to adjust thehammer stroke.

6. In a piano action, the combination of Vfixed action brackets, a hammer rail, to which the hammersiare pivoted, secured to said brackets, levers pivoted to said brackets, a wippen `rail carrying the wippens carried by the rear ends ot said levers, and

Y means for adjusting the wippen rail to vary the hammer stroke- Vfixed action brackets, a hammer vrail to vwhich the hammers are pivoted, secured thereto, levers pivoted to said fixed action brackets and carrying at theirre'ar ends a Vwippen rail to which the ywippens are -pivoted, pivoted levers carryingthe hammer rest rail, links connected between saidtwo ysets of levers so that t-h'e wippen rail .and hammer rest rail will move oppositely, and meansforadjusting the railsto adjust the hammer strok v 8.7.In a piano action, the combination of vfixedfaction brackets, levers pivoted thereto and carrying at their rear ends a wippen rail 'to which the 4wippens are Vpivoted, aV regulating rail secured tothe front ends of said levers, levers hung on pivots supported `by th'e fixe'd'sac'tion brackets, a hammer rest rail carried thereby, linksjextending from the-front ends of the first named levers to the second named levers, and means for ad justingrthe rails to vary thev hammer stroke.

7. Ina piano action, the combination otVVV 9. ln a piano actiom'the Icombination of l fixed action brackets, a hammer rail secured thereto to which the hammers are pivo'ted, levers pivoted to said brackets and carrying at their rear ends a wippen rail to which the wippens are pivoted, a regulating rail carried by the iront ends V of said levers, levers pivoted to the fixed hammer rail Aand carrying the hammer rest rail at Ytheir rear ends, connections extending from the front ends et' the first named levers to the second named levers, and means 3for adjusting the rails to vary the hammer stroke.V Y

l0. In a piano action, the combination ot' 'fixed action brackets, a hammer rail rigidly `secured thereto to which the hammers are pivoted, a wippen rail movably connected to said brackets and carrying the wippens, springs in the fixed action brackets normally forcing the wippen rail upwardly, and

means 'for moving the wippen rail downwardly and adjusting the hammers'o'n their fixed pivots to vary the hammer stroke. l

il. In a vpiano action, the combination of 'mied action brackets, a` hammer railV secured thereto to which the hammersare pivoted, a movable wippen rail carrying the wippens, springs for normally forcing the wippen rail upwardly, screws in the action brackets for limiting the motion of the wippen rail,

Vand means for depressing the .wippen` rail to adjust the hammers upwardly on their fixed pivots to vary the hammer stroke.

Y l2. lin a piano action, the combination of Xed action brackets, a hammer'rail secured thereto-to which the hammers are pivoted, levers pivoted to the fixed action brackets, a wippen rail carried by the rear ends of the levers to/which the wippens are pivoted, springs in the fixed action brackets for normally forcing the wippen rail upwardly, levers pivoted to the hammer rail carrying the hammer restrail at their rear ends, connections between tlietwo sets of levers so that the Vwippen rail and hammer rest rail will move oppositely, and means for moving the wippen rail downwardly to vary lthe y hammer stroke.

JosEPH Kreme. 

